Dan James

Dan James was appointed as BPA’s chief workforce and strategy officer in July 2021. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the agency’s people and culture efforts. He also focuses on strategically executing improvements to the agency’s ability to effectively deliver on its mission and provide excellent customer service. The following organizations fall under James’ leadership: Communications; Culture Office; Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity; Human Resources; and Technology Innovation and Strategy.  

As CWSO, James oversaw the development of BPA’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. This five-year roadmap meets the evolving needs of BPA’s customers and the Northwest, while enhancing the agency’s role as a driver of a clean energy economy and environmental sustainability.

James joined BPA’s leadership team in June 2016 as deputy administrator. Spending five years in this role, he provided policy and strategic guidance to the administrator and oversaw several external and internal-facing organizations. 

James came to BPA from PNGC Power, where he served as vice president of public affairs and marketing for nine years. PNGC Power is one of BPA’s largest customers with member utilities spread across BPA’s service territory. During this time, he was a member of the National Preference Customer Committee of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Prior to working at PNGC Power, James was a senior government relations specialist at Ball Janik LLP in Portland, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. He also spent time as the federal affairs representative at Pacific Northwest Waterways Association in Vancouver, Washington. He began his career in the nation’s capital on the staff of Les AuCoin, former U.S. House representative from Oregon.

James spent most of his childhood in Kalispell, Montana. In 1987, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He also earned a utility management certificate from Willamette University in 2015. He currently or has previously served on the boards of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, Pacific University, the Oregon Wave Energy Trust and the Pacific Youth Choir. James is also a senior fellow of the Oregon chapter of the American Leadership Forum.

James lives in Northeast Portland with his wife. They have two adult daughters.

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